{"id":107565,"date":"2026-04-14T23:41:52","date_gmt":"2026-04-15T02:41:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ubirataonline.com.br\/portland-trail-blazers-guard-scoot-henderson-overcomes-injuries-to-arrive-at-nba-play-in-tournament\/"},"modified":"2026-04-14T23:41:54","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T02:41:54","slug":"portland-trail-blazers-guard-scoot-henderson-overcomes-injuries-to-arrive-at-nba-play-in-tournament","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ubirataonline.com.br\/en\/portland-trail-blazers-guard-scoot-henderson-overcomes-injuries-to-arrive-at-nba-play-in-tournament\/","title":{"rendered":"Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson overcomes injuries to arrive at NBA play-in tournament"},"content":{"rendered":"


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PORTLAND, Ore. \u2014 Portland Trail Blazers<\/a> guard Scoot Henderson<\/a> laughed to keep from crying this season.<\/p>\n

Henderson missed the first 51 games of the season with a torn left hamstring, the latest setback in what\u2019s been a roller-coaster career for the No. 3 pick in the 2023 NBA draft. But now that Henderson is back on the court healthy and playing well lately as a starter, he is all smiles as the Blazers attempt to advance out of the play-in tournament and make the playoffs for the first time in his career.<\/p>\n

\u201cI never felt bad for myself,\u201d Henderson told Andscape on April 10. \u201cEven when [the injury] happened, I\u2019m like, \u2018I ain\u2019t going to feel bad for myself.\u2019 I just started laughing. I\u2019m like, \u2018All right. I see what\u2019s happening. I see what the man above wants me to go through.\u2019 I accepted it right when it happened. I\u2019m into a different mode now. I\u2019m at the recovery mode. I\u2019m getting back healthy. \u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly, I\u2019ve been through so many ups and downs in my basketball and life in general that the only way you can kind of get over something is you don\u2019t try to cry about it or whine about it. You can think about it and be sad for a little second, but at the end of the day, nobody cares. And that\u2019s how I felt. Nobody cares gives a [expletive]. I just went out there and I was like, \u2018I don\u2019t care either. I\u2019m going to bust my a\u2013, work hard. I come back as fast as I can.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Scoot Henderson on dealing with injuries: \u201cHonestly, I\u2019ve been through so many ups and downs in my basketball and life in general that the only way you can kind of get over something is you don\u2019t try to cry about it or whine about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jaden Coleman\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If they earn a playoff berth, Henderson and the Blazers would be one of the surprise teams of the NBA season.<\/p>\n

The Blazers are the Western Conference\u2019s eighth seed after finishing the regular season 42-40. Portland will visit the seventh-seed Phoenix Suns (45-37) on Tuesday in a play-in tournament game, with the winner securing the West\u2019s seventh seed. The loser will get a second opportunity to make the playoff field, hosting the winner of Wednesday\u2019s play-in game between the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors for the West\u2019s eighth seed.<\/p>\n

In the play-in tournament and possibly the playoffs, Henderson, his NBA All-Star teammate Deni Avdija and the Blazers will finally be viewed on a bigger stage after being featured on national TV just six times this season. Henderson said the Blazers have a \u201cwin mentality\u201d entering the postseason.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re just trying to get a cycle of playing good before the play-ins and hopefully in the playoffs,\u201d Henderson said. \u201cSo, I feel great about it. I love these games.\u201d<\/p>\n